When Jimmy told his mother, Ella, about the proposal, her reaction was not what he expected.
They were inside the large living room of their home. The atmosphere was calm, but Jimmy's expression showed excitement as he spoke.
"I proposed to Fiona," he said proudly. "She said yes."
For a moment, Ella did not respond.
She simply stared at him.
Then slowly, her expression changed.
"Excuse me?" she said calmly.
Jimmy repeated himself, thinking she had not heard properly.
"I said I proposed to Fiona… and she accepted."
Silence followed.
Ella placed her glass of drink carefully on the table.
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"And you did this without discussing it with me?" she asked.
Jimmy frowned. "Mother… I love her."
Ella leaned back slightly, still calm but clearly displeased.
"That is not enough," she replied.
Jimmy was confused.
"What do you mean it's not enough?" he asked.
Ella sighed softly, as if she had expected this moment.
"Jimmy," she said carefully, "you are not a child anymore. You are a man with a future to protect."
He remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
"I had already planned something better for you," she added.
Jimmy looked at her.
"Planned what?"
Ella's tone became firmer.
"A proper marriage. A suitable partner. Someone from a respectable and wealthy background."
Jimmy's expression changed slightly.
"I already have someone," he said. "Fiona is my choice."
Ella shook her head.
"You are being emotional," she replied. "That girl is not from our class. She does not understand our world."
Jimmy's jaw tightened.
"That doesn't matter to me," he said firmly.
But Ella was not done.
"It will matter when reality starts affecting your life," she replied.
Ella stood up slowly and walked a few steps.
"There is someone I want you to consider," she said.
Jimmy looked at her suspiciously.
"Who?"
Ella turned back to him.
"Botany."
The name carried weight in her tone.
"She comes from a respected and wealthy family," Ella continued. "She understands status, responsibility, and the kind of life you are expected to live."
Jimmy shook his head immediately.
"I don't know her," he said. "And I don't care."
Ella's expression hardened slightly.
"That is exactly the problem," she replied. "You are choosing feelings over future stability."
Jimmy stepped forward.
"I love Fiona," he said again. "That is final."
The atmosphere in the room became tense.
Ella looked directly at him.
"Love does not build empires," she said coldly. "Connections do. Background does. Understanding your position in society matters."
Jimmy's voice rose slightly.
"So what are you saying? That I should leave Fiona because she is not rich?"
Ella did not hesitate.
"Yes," she said.
The word hit the room like silence after thunder.
Jimmy froze for a moment.
He could not believe what he had just heard.
"You cannot be serious," he said slowly.
Ella remained calm.
"I am serious about your future," she replied.
Jimmy shook his head.
"This is my life, not yours," he said firmly.
Ella stepped closer.
"As long as you are under my name and this family, your decisions affect all of us."
The argument had begun to escalate.
Jimmy's emotions were rising, but so was Ella's control.
For the first time, Jimmy realized how deep the difference between his world and Fiona's world truly was.
On one side was love, emotion, and personal choice.
On the other side was wealth, status, and expectation.
Ella spoke again, her voice lower but sharper.
"If you continue with this girl," she said, "you will regret it."
Jimmy looked at her.
"I will not lose her," he said firmly.
Ella gave a small, almost disappointed smile.
"You are already starting to lose something more important," she replied.
Jimmy said nothing.
The silence that followed felt heavier than the argument itself.
That night, Jimmy could not sleep.
He sat alone in his room, thinking about everything that had been said.
His mother's words echoed in his mind.
Botany.
Status.
Future.
But every time he tried to push Fiona out of his thoughts, her face came instead.
Her smile.
Her calm voice.
The way she trusted him completely.
He clenched his fist slightly.
"I chose her," he whispered to himself. "I chose her."
But deep inside, something had already begun to shift.
Not change.
Not break.
Just shift.